Cruelty-Free Beauty – How to Evaluate Your Products

Today, the concept of cruelty-free beauty is not new. The fact that some cosmetic and beauty-product companies test their products on animals has been known for some time.

As awareness grew, labeling requirements surfaced and consumers could make informed choices. At the same time, companies looked for (and found) loopholes, so products labeled “cruelty-free” may not be entirely free of animal testing and/or exploitation.

Here are some key tips and information to help you evaluate your beauty products so you can be assured of cruelty-free beauty.

1. Various Bunnies
Because rabbits are commonly used in cosmetics testing, various bunny logos and labels denote the level of animal testing and use of animal products by the company.

-Cruelty Free Bunny: this logo features a bunny face whose ears look like a pink heart, and the words “Cruelty Free” are printed underneath. According to PETA, this is the weakest form of certification. It simply means that the company has signed off on a written statement that says they do no test on animals and neither do the companies from which they purchase their supplies. The statement also says the company does not pay others to do the testing. It’s the loosest certification, because it simply takes the company’s word for it.

-Leaping Bunny: a third party, the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics (CCIC) applies this logo to products that it has certified. If it sports the leaping bunny on its products, the company must submit to periodic audits by the CCIC, and the company must re-submit its commitment to clear animal testing from all stages of the product’s development.

-Sitting Bunny with Not Tested On Animals: Companies with this logo must adhere to very strict standards. Based in Australia, companies with this logo must adhere to a legally-binding contract that lives up to the standard of the CCF (Choose Cruelty-Free). CCF has a policy against animal-derived ingredients, too, so this logo indicates a pretty sweeping animal-free product.

2. Things to Watch For
Because companies look for loopholes, it’s important to contact the company itself if you have questions. For example, a product may have a note that says something like, “This finished product was not tested on animals,” but that says nothing about the testing of each separate ingredient.

“Not tested on animals” is a surprisingly vague claim. There are no legal guidelines for what constitutes “not tested on animals,” so the company can “bend” this claim as it sees fit. For example, companies can claim that they do not test products on animals while still testing ingredients on animals. They can also pay others to do animal testing and claim they do not test on animals.

When in doubt, contact the company to make sure your beauty products are truly cruelty-free.